As a Windows phone lover and a 950xl owner (£320 on Currys ebay) I'm gonna say don't do it

I gave up hope after the very recent "MS Build 2016" event, Microsoft said mobile wasn't their focus this year and they mentioned Android and iOS more then Windows Phone.

Windows phone is waving goodbye. The hardware is great but they'll probably have one last stab with a Surface phone but the 950s are stop gaps. Talk is of cheap phones for the Indian market. The hardware is great but the software is still a little buggy and what apps they do have aren't as good as they should be (disappointed with the latest twitter app and there's only one other alternative twitter client)

I'm a developer. About 20 years ago I was a tester for Microsoft on Windows CE v1 (you know, the phone that had the same UI as Windows 95).

I've worked at agencies where if a website didn't work on a Samsung Galaxy, it'd be all hands on deck. If it didn't work on a Lumia, the response would be "meh".

Plus we're both talking about the potential of a Surface Phone - so why buy the 950? When Lumia's that have only been out a couple of years aren't getting Windows 10 Mobile, there's no guarantees that if Windows Phone gets its act together that it will apply to this Windows Phone.

Xamarin being free is a huge deal as I nearly paid £900+ for it for each platform to develop on but the fruits of this are going to take some time to be seen. It was noted that at Build 2016, hardly anyone was using a Windows Phone. Even Microsoft employees make Android only apps
http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/22/7038037/microsoft-garage-apps-project
My household has had a 520, 2x920s, a 930, a 1520,a 950xl. I've given it more than a chance. I'm done.

Do you understand what Build is about?!! It isn't a consumer orientated event...it is about engaging with developers and explaining new systems/API's that will allow them to build things for the Windows ecosystem.

If you understood what it was all about, then you would realise that Microsoft don't really consider there to be a difference (in developer terms) between Mobile/Xbox/Hololens/Desktop. They are all Windows 10 - and so all benefit from the various things that Microsoft brought to the developer table at build. Most notably; they purchased Xamarin, and are now giving it away for free to developers. THAT is a huge step forward for anyone wishing to build apps for all three major platforms. THAT is the big news for Windows Mobile users. Developers cannot ignore Windows 10, and with Xamarin, they also now have a very easy means of getting their iOS/Android apps released on Windows.

Also, I think the project Centennial bridge (just released) is big news for Windows Mobile. Assuming the Surface Phone is running an Intel chip - which seems very likely - then the millions of legacy W32 apps will all technically be able to run on a Windows Mobile device (with some minor repackaging of the app). Just imagine - a phone that can run normal apps in one moment, and then run full desktop apps via Continuum in another.

Lots of interesting things to look forward to with Windows Mobile. Just a shame Microsoft released such a budget looking flagship. It's like their designers forgot to turn up.

Not a bad time to grab one of these? Are you sure? Being a Windows Phone owner now for the past year as a taster into its architecture I would say things are getting worse instead of better.

I would not shell out £343 on a 'flagship' Microsoft Phone when all Microsoft seem to be doing is either shooting themselves in the foot, dragging their feet or burying their heads in the sand.

Anyone here with a 950 able to check ? I'd really like that referral if it's still on :smiley:

I suspect so. Sorry. The 930 is probably a couple of years old now

Thanks,
I've got the app on my 930 now, but it doesn't show any offers, does it only show up if used on a 950/xl?

Can anyone comment on the referral thingy... how does it work?
Can it work on Tesco purchase? I've started a thread, and am about to hit buy, but would like a free £50 in any format before I do!
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/microsoft-lumia-950-tesco-direct-black-white-329-2440608

Apple are still supporting the iPhone 4s with ios9. It was released in October 2011.

Not only that, but apart from that one configuration issue, Windows 10 works really well on it, fast and much better than WP8.1.

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_820-4968.php

Lumia 820 - released, November 2012....

Do you ever think you are expecting a bit much for such an old phone?! There isn't a phone manufacturer on earth that supports their phones so many years after release.

You've had a good innings with that phone.

you should clarify that you had put in a "Beta" insider release on the 820 and not an official release.
You did the Beta on your own risk and should accept it.

To other users - there are no such issues on my phone.

Actually, it has the best Tinder client of any platform. It's called 6Tin, and allows manual geolocation, google image searches direct from the match screen, Instagram integration and notifications of who has unmatched you.

Periscope and Snapchat are MIA though...so you're right there :smiley:

The Lumia is great to give your kids. No Tinder, no Periscope, no Snapchat

I have recently upgraded my old lumia 735 to windows 10. I had long deliberation as I had heard many bad reviews about win 10 mobile.

Eventually the curiosity took over and I got it done.
The phone is now stable and working fine. It took a day or so to complete all the installation steps, update app etc.
The battery live is back to normal now

However I can see that there are still area that MS have to improve to make this workable. I do not encounter any "Bugs" in my day-to-day work (mail, message, phone, chat, whatsapp, facebook, calendar etc) but I can see that they are not as user friendly as Win8.1 or other platforms.

So before you purchase this phone with Win10, do consider what you are buying into. It will probably take one or two update from MS to make this a probably workable phone.

Fantastic HUKD pick, heat added.

But if you wanted those things, why did you get a Windows phone? I don't want those things, I just need a solid phone with 4G, a good screen, a few planning and note-taking apps and a half-decent camera that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. As someone who is absolutely indifferent to mobile phones, the Lumia 950 is the only phone that I've actually liked. I don't have to keep tweaking and updating it to keep it working, the battery life is great, and I can link it to my other devices easily. Maybe you just bought the wrong phone for your needs?

Actually, climbing, weirdly.

Oblige CCC http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Microsoft-Lumia-inch-SIM-Free-Smartphone/product/B016BOFYT0

With 2 vouchers, I'd love to get this
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/Display-Dock-Accessories-Standard-Bundle/productID.333499300

but it still seems too steep
or maybe some Xbox accessories for the kids (an Xbox One controller or 2TB drive)
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/list/Xbox-One-accessories/categoryID.68283500
Given that they once sold MS Bands v1 for around £59, I'm holding out for a special offer too.

If anyone wants a £50 referral, pm me.

This is the last Nokia designed handset. Nokia was also responsible for the cancelled McLaren handset that Microsoft refused to ship because it's main feature didn't work. Nokia stagnated a long time ago.

As a Windows phone lover and a 950xl owner (£320 on Currys ebay) I'm gonna say don't do it

I gave up hope after the very recent "MS Build 2016" event, Microsoft said mobile wasn't their focus this year and they mentioned Android and iOS more then Windows Phone.

Windows phone is waving goodbye. The hardware is great but they'll probably have one last stab with a Surface phone but the 950s are stop gaps. Talk is of cheap phones for the Indian market. The hardware is great but the software is still a little buggy and what apps they do have aren't as good as they should be (disappointed with the latest twitter app and there's only one other alternative twitter client)

It's great hardware etc but i've owned 2 windows phones and I'm giving up on it. Why should people back windows phone when Microsoft release their apps for IOS first and get around to their own system when they can be bothered.

Yes, at the time we were both running Windows 8.1 on our phones, I only switched mine to Windows 10 a couple of weeks ago via the insider route (considering I guess it would be Summer by the time EE/Virgin would roll it out!)

I really am trying to avoid android...although with hardware now so cheap with enough memory to cushion the blow from a poorly optimised OS it's more appealing, and detest Apple.....but Microsoft are not making it easy.....I will give Windows 10 a shot for a while, see what bugs are ironed out but I don't see the app gap shortening any time soon...so this time next year it could well be I am pretty much forced back into the android camp, sadly will be an 'if you can't beat them...join them' scenario.

I

I never went down the Playbook route...so I don't have the pain of buying into a dead end OS. Not yet, anyway :smiley:. I'm trying my best to tee myself up for disappointment.

The cinema internet browser issue - I'm assuming you were running WP8.1 on your phones? Edge logs in to all the websites that IE on 8.1 failed to get into (HotUKDeals being one of them). It also now plays back BBC website videos without getting the usual unsupported device issue...and I can even play back iPlayer videos in the browser. Feels like progress :smiley:

I guess if I was in your shoes, I'd throw in the towel. But I have the apps I need - and even have some apps I didn't know I wanted. I also find Windows Mobile to be more open than iOS - and less disjointed than Android. Add in the prettier UI, & the cheap devices, & I guess I am happy to continue.

Maybe you should retire your Windows Phones and try Android for a while & see how you get on. Plenty of cheap options out there

I totally get it, I have found bang for buck, build quality etc etc nothing comes close. At the time of purchase with my 735 for £120 I could not get any phone that offered an OLED screen, wireless charging, NFC and 4G for that price. Neither could my wife find a better deal after trading in her Samsung Ativ S for £90 towards a Nokia 930 which was £150 has beautiful build quality and a stunning camera.

Personally I am not tired of the OS, I am frustrated with Windows 10 as it still feels very much beta, but I do like the OS. I also do not appreciate MS taking away what was good....I think Groove is far more simplistic and not in a good way in comparison to MixRadio. I can 'live' without certain apps its more a frustration thing than a limitation. Never really been much of a phone gamer so I didn't think the 'app' drawback would be much of a problem... but it's not an enjoyable experience by any means which just leads me into thinking about switching back to android next year.

My experience so much reminds me of being a Playbook owner. At the time of buying nothing came close bang for buck, its OS was far better than anything Android offered at the time, but I could never have an enjoyable experience with it due to being as alienated from the app world as I could possibly be.

I think the straw that broke the camels back for us both as Windows Phone users came a couple of months ago....

My wife through her workplace can get cinema tickets for various chains at discount. She never printed out a code that was needed....not to worry we thought, she could log in via the phones internet whilst queuing at the cinema....

Fortunately there was a long queue. In that time we tried both our windows phones which for whatever reason had problems with the login page. I even tried installing Opera Mobile to no avail.

Out then came her works android phone, chrome browser...worked no problem.

For me its not getting tired of the OS, it's what is broke from an app perspective, what has been broke with 'upgrading' to Windows 10 Mobile or what was once good that Nokia had with the Lumia range now going to the dogs.

For anyone that requires any form of productivity I get it with Office 365, continuum etc etc it has things to offer for.....but for me as a general phone user it is woefully frustrating, with MS taking this long to get Windows 10 to market I have little faith of improvements within my life expectancy of the phone.

There really lies the problem, it is a struggle enough for Microsoft to encourage sales of Lumia phones, if the user base is feeling alienated how are they going to keep them?

I am feeling like a dejected Fox Mulder "I wanted to believe".

I guess I am still persisting with Windows Mobile because, unlike you, my app requirements aren't limiting me. Also, price is a big factor. Windows phones don't hold their value - which means I get cheap flagships. Just over £200 has got me the best camera on a phone, Microsoft Office via Continuum, a £50 store voucher and a free Office 365 licence, wireless charging, Quickcharge and the prettiest UI on any phone. I also have all my iTunes music stored in OneDrive, which I can cache for free to my phone via Groove. I also have YouTube apps like MetroTube that allow me to cache videos...and I have full USB OTG support too.

Yes, it's not perfect by any means. But it is far and away the best balance of things for my particular needs. (I can now cycle tour with just a phone, a miracast dongle and a folding Bluetooth keyboard).

But with all that said, I can completely understand why someone would grow tired of this OS. It has myriad of failings, and for people with a need for lots of apps, it definitely falls short. Works brilliantly for my needs though

Exactly how I feel with my Windows device. Either I feel like I am stuck in a rowing boat without a paddle at worst or at best I am given a broken one with barely enough tape to fix it, but struggle I have to. It is frustrating.

I will remain a glass is half empty person with Windows Phone until it can rival properly in the marketplace, unfortunately I cannot see that ever happening...despite your enthusiasm for app ports I cannot see developers being that enthused to want to bring desktop app experiences to the mobile market or convert android or iOS apps


Seems you look to the future of possibilities in each post about Windows Phone...I take a more realistic approach of what Windows Phone can do for me within a life expectancy of a handset, and the outlook is grim. I want a phone with apps as tools, not a weak extension of a PC, on a mid range handset is anybody really wishing for continuum? It's of zero use to me. I want a fluid OS with apps on my phone...I had a fairly fluid OS with Windows 8...not so sure about Windows 10 its still buggy....still waiting on the apps part.

I cannot walk into the ridiculous priced Moto Services on the motorway and buy a cup of coffee for a more reasonable price because I don't have android or iOS. I cannot pay for travel via a bus on local services without carrying a pocket full of change because I don't have android or iOS. I cannot go to things like The Gadget Show Live and have a map app of the stands because I don't have android or iOS. I cannot use my phone with my home cinema receiver because I don't have android or iOS. I cannot set up my Humax Freesat to record away from home because I don't have android or iOS, I can't use Tidal..... The list can keep going....each and every time I am alienated by my device!

Its sad but I have to agree. I like the Windows Phone OS better than iOS and I had a Lumia 800 for years, and we have an 820 and an 830 in the household, but I switched to an iPhone a couple of years ago as I was fed up being a second class mobile citizen. I've never looked back, everywhere I go, everything I do has an iOS app not a Windows Phone app, and the quality of many of the apps is better too. Yes, WP has some decent 3rd party workarounds, yes you can do the 'main' phone things with it, but why put yourself through it when you can get a refurb'ed iPhone 5S with warranty for <£150 these days? - a fast 64bit phone with a great camera, myriad of accessories, etc, etc.
It's the same reason almost everyone had a PC and not a Mac 10-20 years ago - because developer's don't want to waste time developing for ~5% of the users when they can spend it making the other 95% happier.

Given up on WP particularly when the applications that were available looked to be poor neighbors of the Android versions. If you don't use many applications and paste web pages to the home screen it's a good phone.

Way to calmly reply...Microsoft employee?

How is the battery life compar d to 830/other Lumias?

Ha! People pay £350 for a Lumia. What next - people paying £800 for an iPhone?

You can't be glass half empty when you're a Windows Phone owner :smiley:.
If I could stomach the idea of spending ~£800 over the course of 2 years on an iPhone contract, then I would. But it just doesn't offer enough for the money. & to me, Android is just a no go because of the way Google does business. I just don't trust them.
W10M is the least worst option....and with Continuum/focus on camera, it also represents the best vision of what a mobile should be able to do.
I will more than likely give the Surface Phone a shot - hopefully by then the W10 effect will have resulted in a whole load of new/quality apps entering the store. & if Centennial does what I hope, then my mobile phone will do everything in Continuum mode that my current laptop can do. That would be a pretty amazing thing IMO...and a far more interesting vision of the future than Android/iOS are offering.

By the way, there are a number of other driving apps on the store - many of them free. I'm not sure Android/iOS have anything better (Waze aside).

I will give my handset two years which to be honest is around the life expectancy anyway before I consider upgrading, first year is done...for some reason I am still the glass is half empty rather than half full in optimism!

Well, to me, it's a pretty simple equation. Windows Phone never succeeded because there were never enough users to justify the developer interest. Windows 10 on the other hand already has almost 300 million users. Any developer developing for Windows 10 on the desktop would be foolish not to leverage their apps to Xbox/Hololens/Mobile.

I would say that Microsoft are setting themselves up well for the future, even if the present is not so impressive!

Maybe, I really do like the OS, I just have the same frustrations as I did with my Playbook tablet in that I do not see the potential realised by the manufacturer or for that matter app developers lack of interest helping to push units into more homes.

When you buy devices that have no apps developed for them in controlling network devices such as tv's and home cinema receivers, no supported apps by local government authorities for the likes of travel, a lack of money saving apps and not to mention a good number of half-assed apps either developed or as third party replacements to lacking apps its an alienated market and I am wondering if and how Microsoft are going to manage to crawl their way back out of the mire.

:smiley: - it sounds like you've given this platform a good enough shot.

Except I have tried its functionality on the same route of which I would never be able to remember taking into account B Roads to one of my friends houses, it simply will not give any option to replicate taking in those B Roads as any of the options of routes, you cannot specify 'shortest' route, just those options it gives you which has total disregard for B roads. I am guessing you would have to toggle further in the route options taking out A Roads altogether!

Add to the fact it has taken Microsoft this long to roll out Windows 10, and even then I have had to resort to getting the 'finalised' version of it via Insider else who knows how long it would take before EE/Virgin would roll it out to my phone.

And now it is here...what....how long before any potential starts showing? I had enough of 'hope' with the Blackberry Playbook, I am feeling the same sort of dread with MS.

The combination of the settings in the other screenshot and the visual display of multiple routes to a destination is far preferable (to me) than the faztest/shortest/balanced that Drive offered.

Have a look;

http://imgur.com/a/9mwWo

I appreciate your input, but that helps me chose between fastest or shortest route like on Here Maps exactly how? I have not been able to replicate the same level of function, I have had a look already at those options, meaning I now will have to resort to buying an app that works.

http://imgur.com/1LV6VGj

In addition, it is also possible to select multiple routes...unlike Here Drive where you only had one route option.
Add in traffic re-routing, and I really struggle to see how Here Drive is still better...

Here drive did offer alternative routes, easily....when I am riding my 125CC Bike I do not like motorway riding...not only was it easy to toggle off motorways (the only thing you can do on maps) you could also easily sort shortest or fastest routes which would take into account minor b roads etc....something Maps cannot offer.

As you say I won't gain anything in the MixRadio department as a replacement by switching back to android, but after giving Windows Phone a try for the past year and having little faith in any progress and a further progression with android phone software aided by the necessity of more memory and faster processors at cheaper prices now (something to Microsoft's credit that it didn't need!) I think I would get a better experience.

Another issue I find is with only 1GB of RAM the page loading on Windows 10 on the internet is pretty woeful.

I can certainly understand your frustrations with the wifi and what not (though I don't have the same issue). Here Drive never offered alternate routes...at least the new Maps app does. & unlike Drive, it actually re-routes around traffic.
MixRadio has entirely ceased to exist - so even if you switch to Android, I'm wondering just what service you'll use to get such a service!? I would personally recommend Podcasts....there are lots that have music mixes of all varieties.

I guess if I start having troubles like you are having, then I may just look at something different. But I'm pretty happy with W10M thus far - and v.v.pleased with the 4K video quality on this phone.

I have a 'fair' camera on mine, a top notch screen a frustrating lack of apps and an increasingly crippled infrastructure.

Now that Here Now is to be defunct with a crap replacement that does not let you select differing route options effectively, and MixRadio also going to the dogs with no other free service out there that offers offline playlists.

Windows 10 currently is borked, strange how my wife whose Nokia 930 had no problem connecting to the free wi-fi hotspot at the Gadget Show at the NEC on Windows 8 OS and yet my 735 on Windows 10 simply could not.

Unless things drastically improve, despite liking the infrastructure of the OS, I am switching back to android.

Not a bad time to grab one of these? Are you sure? Being a Windows Phone owner now for the past year as a taster into its architecture I would say things are getting worse instead of better.

I would not shell out £343 on a 'flagship' Microsoft Phone when all Microsoft seem to be doing is either shooting themselves in the foot, dragging their feet or burying their heads in the sand.

I found some cool review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBNqCRuP9lY

is that x£50 really working? if so who wants to buy along with me?

I also have a cracking Lumia 640 deal, got great heat in a few minutes before the mods pulled it :disappointed:

2x£50 MS store offers? Tell me more...

(I already have the Office 365 code - which I will be selling. The MS gift card offers would be super helpful though as I'm currently looking at buying a Surface 3)

Lumia offers app has made me feel a bit better (Office 365 for a year, 2 x £50 MS Store vouchers and 10% off a hotel at Expedia)

I love the camera and screen, the wireless charging, the SD card expandability and the UI but at this point, if I could install Android on it, I would.

My 950 purchase was my least enthused purchase of a Windows Phone to date. Every other one did exceptional things - or just caught my attention for various reasons.

Am I disappointed with the phone though? Aside from styling, not in the slightest. I always compare my experience to that of my sister with her various iPhone's. For the things that matter to me (standby battery life, elegance of the OS, camera performance) the 950 does things so much better than iOS. Yes, it could be a prettier phone...but I really haven't found much to dislike.

If the Surface Phone takes things to the next level on the Continuum front, then so be it. None of those Centennial bridge apps will work in normal phone mode - so I won't be missing out with my 950. But in the meantime, I have arguably the best camera on any phone (the 4K video is stunning)...and the best example of an OLED screen too.

An Android/iOS hegemony is something I definitely don't wish to see...so I'm happy enough to stick with Microsoft and see what they deliver in due course.

I trialled one of these and it's not worth the price. The camera is excellent, but that's about it. There are equally capable Lumia phones at a third of this price.

I'm a developer. About 20 years ago I was a tester for Microsoft on Windows CE v1 (you know, the phone that had the same UI as Windows 95).

I've worked at agencies where if a website didn't work on a Samsung Galaxy, it'd be all hands on deck. If it didn't work on a Lumia, the response would be "meh".

Plus we're both talking about the potential of a Surface Phone - so why buy the 950? When Lumia's that have only been out a couple of years aren't getting Windows 10 Mobile, there's no guarantees that if Windows Phone gets its act together that it will apply to this Windows Phone.

Xamarin being free is a huge deal as I nearly paid £900+ for it for each platform to develop on but the fruits of this are going to take some time to be seen. It was noted that at Build 2016, hardly anyone was using a Windows Phone. Even Microsoft employees make Android only apps
http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/22/7038037/microsoft-garage-apps-project
My household has had a 520, 2x920s, a 930, a 1520,a 950xl. I've given it more than a chance. I'm done.

Completely agree. However, I can see what they are doing. Nokia absolutely dominated Windows Phone, and made it pointless for manufacturer's like Samsung to get involved.
Microsoft releasing just 3 phones means other manufacturers have space to make some money.
As long as Windows 10 is successful (and its app store), Windows Mobile will have the potential to succeed. But it would never succeed if Microsoft was the only device manufacturer.

"Just a shame Microsoft released such a budget looking flagship. It's like their designers forgot to turn up."
imho thats where they miss nokia! they knew how to build a quality handset.

Yes they will get cheaper, but I dont think it will be that drastic and quick, as the lumia 930 never really got to a consistently low price new, it's still quite high now for a phone of its age, although 2nd hand ones are quite cheap.

Heavily bug ridden phone from what I have heard and read so far

I'd consider paying this price this for the XL, £270 for this, MAX, bringing it in line with the current G4 price which has similar specs. Added heat for best price now but not for me. :man:

Wouldn't say it was a good price, personally. And yes it will get a lot cheaper and quite quickly too. At least these have an SD card slot